Business | Parting of the clouds

Airlines are closing in on their pre-covid heights

But a cold winter could dent longer-term optimism

*** BESTPIX *** ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - NOVEMBER 22: A passenger walks through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on November 22, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. Airlines are preparing for an increase in passengers over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with demand expected to reach near pre-pandemic levels. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) — Now boardingImage: Getty Images

Dec 20th 2022

The aviation industry is a useful altimeter for the lingering impact of covid-19. Air travel ground almost to a halt in 2020, as virus-induced restrictions kept people at home. Since then it has clawed its way upwards as lockdowns have eased and travellers who had been denied holidays, visits to loved ones and business trips have gradually returned to the air. Capacity, measured by available seats, is set to end 2022 at around 4.7bn, according to oag, a consultancy. Although that remains down by 12% on 2019, before the pandemic struck, it is nearly a third higher than at the end of last year.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Parting of the clouds”